RENOVATION OF OLD ORCHARDS 189 



accomplished by the application of any one specific 

 remedy. The program will be about as follows : 



1. The physical condition of the soil must be im- 

 proved. This will mean that cultivation should be 

 adopted wherever possible. There are some old 

 orchards worthy of rejuvenation in which the soil can- 

 not be practically cultivated, but the majority of those 

 orchards which will not pay for the cultivation of the 

 soil will not pay either for the rest of the treatment. 

 Cultivation of the soil in an old orchard which has 

 been neglected for many years is of course a serious 

 problem. Too much must not be expected at the out- 

 set. The ground should be plowed as well as it can 

 be, but this of course will not mean nice thorough 

 tillage from the beginning. However, better cultivation 

 can be given the second year than the first, and some 

 improvements made in succeeding years. After the 

 land has been plowed and cross-plowed the soil can 

 be worked into condition with a spading harrow. It 

 is not necessary to make great haste in this direction. 

 Indeed it is better that the subjugation of the soil 

 should be gradual. 



2. Plant food must be provided. In practically 

 all cases old neglected orchards suffer from serious 

 depletion of fertilizing elements. A moderate dress- 

 ing of barnyard manure is an excellent beginning in 

 bringing up an old orchard. As a rule, however, 

 it is better to proceed with considerable caution in 

 applying fertilizer to an orchard in this state of treat- 

 ment. It is easily possible to overdo this matter. 



3. The trees must be pruned. This part of the 

 treatment is often overdone also. The best practice 

 is to begin the first year by removing only dead and 

 broken limbs. This work should be done in March. In 



